VR Headset Specs Compared: HTC Vive, Oculus Rift, PSVR, And More

There’s a wide selection of VR headsets out on the market, which can make it difficult to parse which one is right for you with varied pricing and spec information. That’s why we’ve compiled comprehensive lists below that break down resolution, refresh rate, and other specs across all the major VR headsets. We’ve separated our lists by four categories: major VR headsets, Windows Mixed Reality VR headsets, mobile VR headsets, and all-in-one mobile solutions that don’t require external hardware.

Windows Mixed Reality headsets are VR headsets specced out by Microsoft and manufactured by several PC OEMs. One major feature that distinguishes them is that they all feature external cameras that enable inside-out tracking of both the headset and controllers. This means you can get six degrees of positional movement without the use of external sensors.

With so many VR specs to parse, we’ve highlighted some interesting tidbits below:

Which VR head-mounted display (HMD) has the sharpest resolution screen? Currently, the Samsung Odyssey Windows Mixed Reality headset offers the highest resolution with a 2880×1600 panel. The forthcoming HTC Vive Pro will also use the same resolution, but the Pimax 8K headset, set to release later this year, will feature two 3840x2160p panels.

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HTC Vive Pro Raises The Bar For Virtual Reality

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Which VR headset offers the widest field-of-view? Most of the VR headsets currently out on the market feature FOVs around 100 to 110 degrees. It’s difficult to pinpoint an exact degree because your FOV will vary depending how close your eyes get to the lenses. Pimax’s 8K headset is advertising a 200 degree FOV when it releases.

Which headset has the highest refresh rate?PlayStation VR‘s panel is capable of reaching 120Hz, whereas most other VR headsets refresh at 90Hz.

Why does a high refresh rate matter for VR? While most monitors use a 60Hz refresh rate, research thus far dictates that 90Hz or higher is desired for a smooth VR experience that mitigates judder and motion sickness.

What is the difference between an OLED and LCD screen? OLED screens feature individually backlit pixels, which allow them to reach deeper black levels than LCD equivalents.

Which VR headset is the lightest? If you’re counting mobile VR headsets, then Google’s Daydream View is currently the lightest, weighing 261 grams without a phone. On the desktop side, Acer’s Windows Mixed Reality headset is the lightest at 350 grams.

Which VR headset is the heaviest? HP’s Mixed Reality headset is the heaviest at 834 grams.

Which VR headset is the cheapest? The first-generation Google Daydream headset is the cheapest at $79. If you’re not including mobile VR HMDs then it’s Sony’s PSVR at $350.

Which VR headset is the most expensive? The HTC Vive is currently the most expensive VR headset at $599.

What VR headsets are capable of room scale VR? The HTC Vive is the only VR system that supports room scale right out of the box right now. The Oculus Rift also supports room scale, but requires the purchase of a third optional sensor. Forthcoming headsets that will support room scale include the HTC Vive Pro, Pimax, LG VR headset, and Oculus Santa Cruz.

Can the Oculus Rift play SteamVR games? Yes. Not all, but the majority of SteamVR games support the Oculus Rift.

Can the HTC Vive play games on the Oculus store? Kind of. It requires a third-party mod called Revive and the quality can vary from game to game.

What are the VR system requirements for the Oculus Rift?

NVIDIA GTX 970 / AMD 290 equivalent or greater

Intel i5-4590 processor equivalent or greater

8GB+ RAM

Compatible HDMI 1.3 video output

2 USB 3.0 ports

Windows 7 SP1 or newer

What are the VR system requirements for the HTC Vive?

NVIDIA GTX 970 / AMD 290 equivalent or greater

Intel i5-4590 or AMD FX 8350 processor equivalent or greater

4GB+ RAM

One HDMI 1.4 or one DisplayPort 1.2

One USB 2.0

Windows 7 SP1 or newer

What are the VR system requirements for Windows Mixed Reality headsets?

Will PlayStation VR games look or perform better with the PlayStation 4 Pro? In games that are optimized to take advantage of the PS4 Pro’s extra processing power, users can experience a crisper image via supersampling, improved graphics, or sometimes both.